Building a sustainable space

• 500-backed space tech startup Aliena will be collaborating with five partners in Singapore to launch a ‘sustainable’ microsatellite into spac .
• According to a joint statement, the 100kg microsatellite is planned to be the size of a mini fridge and will fly at Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), about 250km above Earth.
• Conventional satellites typically orbit at at least double this altitude. This means that instruments housed within the microsatellite will be able to perform better as they are closer to Earth.
• Aliena has designed a “unique, fuel-efficient engine” to address the challenges of flying at VLEO. The engine will generate “thrust at low power” to maintain the microsatellite’s orbit.
• At the end of its operational life, the engine can be turned off and the microsatellite will “de-orbit” and burn up in the atmosphere upon its descent to Earth, leaving no debris in space. This “passive clean-up” will minimize the risk of collisions in future for other VLEO spacecraft.
• Read the full article on Channel News Asia.

Creating practical solutions

• 500-backed Aerodyne has gone through nine different crises since its inception, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite that, it still made its way to being the number 1 drone service provider in the world.
• The key to its growth? Constantly pivoting to solve real-world problems, said founder and Group CEO Kamarul A Muhamed.
• Launched as a media production company, the startup’s drones were initially used to capture visuals. Kamarul saw an opportunity to provide drone services for high-risk jobs.
• Today, Aerodyne bills itself as a DT3 company, offering drone tech, data tech, and digital transformation. According to Kamarul, it has four growth engines: Agrimor (precision agriculture), Fulcrum (surveillance and security), Dronos (data tech), and Argentavis (logistics).
• He revealed that the startup’s plan to list in the next few years is on track: “Our potential options right now include the Nasdaq, Tokyo Stock Exchange, and we are also exploring dual-listing on Bursa Malaysia.”
• Read the full feature on Tech in Asia. A subscription may be required.

Giving space missions a boost

• 500-backed Gilmour Space Technologies is working with SENER Aeroespacial to develop a system that could improve launch operations and lower its cost.
• The Autonomous Flight Termination System (AFTS) is planned to be ready for Gilmour Space’s first Eris rocket launch in the second half of 2022.
• Development is underway, with the completed unit possessing autonomous decision-making capacity, enabling it to abort a flight if any anomalies are identified.
• Current processes rely on costly land facilities and require manual operator intervention to terminate a mission. The AFTS can improve the versatility of launch operations by enabling more launches from places other than traditional launch centers; and their efficiency by lowering the cost of operations.
• Read the full statement here.